Plier type staplers



March 9, 1965 s. CLAY PLIER TYPE STAPLERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1963 March 9, 1965 s, CLAY PLIER TYPE STAPLEJRS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1963 mm Orv; mu N $Q M m M 77 lllllllf-lflvlf III III!!! March 9, 1965 N. s. CLAY PLIER TYPE smmzas 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR'. I NATHANSCZAY TQQ Filed Sept. 12, 1963 Armin/Hr,

United States Patent 3,172,122 PLIER TYPE STAPLERS Nathan S. Clay, New York, N.Y., assignor to Arrow Fastener (10., Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 308,552 15 Claims. (Cl. 227-126) This invention relates to staplers.

An object of the invention is to provide a stapler comprising a frame, an anvil carrying arm, a staple driver arm and a handle, with improved means for interconnecting said stapler parts to operate said anvil carrying arm and driver arm in response to operating movement of said handle.

Another object is to provide a stapler having a staple magazine comprising a staple case and nail assembly and a staple pusher mounted for sliding movement on said assembly, with improved means for releasably connecting said staple pusher to said assembly.

A further object is to provide a stapler having a frame and astaple case and rail assembly with improved means to releasably mount said assembly on said frame.

Another object is generally to provide a stapler of improved construction.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings of an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 .is a side view of a stapler in accordance with the invention showing in solid lines the relative positions of the parts of the stapler in operative staple driving posi- .tion, and also showing in dot-dash lines, the relative positions of the parts after they have moved through a first operating movement to bring the anvil carrying arm into operative position;

FIG. 2 is a top horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, and showing the parts of the stapler in their normally inoperative positions;

FIG. 4 is a top horizontal sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. -6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a vertical view of the front end of the stapler looking directly at it;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the latching end of the staple magazine, and illustrating the relative positions of the parts after an initial releasing movement;

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 10 and shows the parts in an intermediate position; and

FIG. 12 is similar to FIGS. 10 and 11 and shows the parts in released positions.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the stapler 1'0 illustrated herein is of the hand-operated plier type and comprises a frame 12, an anvil carrying arm 14, a staple driver arm 16 and a handle 18. As described more in detail hereinafter, staples supplied from a staple magazine 20 are collapsed against the anvil 22, by a first movement of the handle toward the frame to move the stapler parts from their normally retracted positions illustrated by FIG. 3, to an intermediate operative position illustrated in dotdash lines in FIG. 1 wherein the anvil carrying arm has ice moved into its operative position with the top of the anvil 22 in contact with the lower edges of the side walls of the forward end of the staple case member 24 of the staple magazine. Further movement of the handle into the staple driving position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1 from the dot-dash position illustrated therein ejects a staple from the magazine and forces it against the anvil to collapse the staple.

Frame 12 is a unitary elongated member having a cross section similar to an inverted U. The frame comprises a top wall 26 and a pair of laterally spaced parallel side walls 28 which extend downwardly from the top wall, as illustrated by FIGS. 5, 6 and 8. The bottom and front and rear ends of the frame .are vopen. Preferably wall 26 has a curvature along its length, as illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 3 which enables the palm of the operators hand to easily and comfortably rest against the frame during the operation of the stapler.

Staple driver arm 16 is an elongated member having a .cross section through .most of its length similar to an inverted U. The .arm (FIG. .6) has an upper wall 30 and a pair of laterally spaced side walls 32 which extend downwardly from the .top wall. Near the forward end of the arm (-FIG. 2), the side walls converge toward each other and join to form end 33 of the arm which operates the staple drive blade 34, as will be more fully understood hereinafter. The staple .driver arm is pivotally mounted at its rear end to frame 12 and for this purpose a .transverse pivot pin 36 .(FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) extends through the side walls 28 .of the frame and is fastened thereto. The pin also extends through the side walls 32 of the driver arm. A torsion spring 38 has its coiled part 40 coiled around pin 36 and has one of its arms 42 resiliently engaging the undersurface of the rear part of top wall 26 of .the frame while its other arm 44 resiliently engages upper wall 30 of the driver .arm forwardly of pin 36 .to bias the driver arm upwardly and in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, into a normally retracted position.

Anvil arm 14 (FIGS. 3 and 6) is an elongated member having a U-shaped cross section. The arm comprises a bottom wall 46 and laterally spaced vertical side walls 48 which extend upwardly from the bottom wall. The rear end of the anvil arm is pivotally connected to the lower rear end of frame 12 at a position which is below and slightly rearward of the pivotal connection .of the main frame and the staple driver arm. The pivotal connection comprises a transverse pivot pin .50 (FIGS. 3 and 5) whichextends through the side walls 28 of the main frame and the side walls 48 of the anvil arm. A torsion spring 52 has its coiled part 54 coiled around the pin 50 and has one of its arms 56 resiliently engaging a cross bar 58 extending transversely between side walls 28 of the main frame and connected to the latter. The other arm 60 of the spring resiliently engages the upper surface of bottom wall 46 of the anvil carrying arm and biases the latter downwardly, in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, into a normally open and retracted position.

Handle 18 (FIGS. 3 and 6) is an elongated member having a U-sha-ped cross section. The handle comprises a bottom wall 62 and a pair of laterally spaced vertical side walls 64 which extend upwardly from the bottom wall and are positioned adjacent to and outwardly of side walls 28 of the frame. The handle side walls have for ward ear portions 66 which are inclined upwardly and terminate at the top wall 26 of the frame. The handle is pivotally connected to the anvil arm 14 by a transverse pivot pin 68 which extends through the side walls of the handle and anvil arm at a position which is about midway between the ends .of the anvil arm and slightly rearwardly of the forward edges 70 of the ear portions of the 3 side walls of the handle. The opposite ends 72 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the bottom wall 62 of the handle are downwardly curved and a finger shield 74 is secured thereto.

Extending through frame 12, handle 18, and staple driver arm 16 is interconnected to each other by a transverse rotary pivot pin 76, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6. The pin extends through transversely aligned apertures 30a in the side walls 32 of the staple driver arm, through a pair of substantially vertical transversely aligned slots 78 provided in the side walls 28 of the frame, and through a pair of transversely aligned curved cam slots 80 provided in the ear portions 66 of the handle adjacent the upper portion thereof. As best seen in FIG. 3, the upper parts of slots 80 are normally in transverse alignment with the upper parts of slots 78. Pin 76 is positioned slightly below top wall 30 of driver arm 16 and forwardly of pin 68. The upper end of slot 78 is slightly below top wall 26 of the frame and extends substantially vertically downwardly therefrom. As best seen in FIG. 1, the forward edge 82 of each slot 80 is concavely curved while the rear edge 84 of the slot is cam-shaped convexly to provide a first upper cam edge'86 and a second lower cam edge 88. Cam edge 86 extends downwardly and rearwardly from the top of slot 80 and cam edge 88 extends downwardly and rearwardly from cam edge 86. The opposite ends of pin 76 are provided with rollers 90 (FIG. 6) of wear-resistant material and the rollers are slightly smaller in diameter than the width of slots 78 and 80 and extend therethrough and terminate in flanges 92 which have diameters larger than the width of slots 78 and 80. The slightly larger width of slots 78 in relation to the diameters of rollers 90 accommodates the arcuate movement of pin 76 due to the pivotal movement of the driver arm. The flanges 92 are positioned adjacent to and outwardly of the ear portions 66 of the handle. Spring 38 which biases driver arm 16 into an upward position causes rollers 90 to resiliently engage cam edges 86 and 88 of slots 80 so that said cam edges can drive pin 76 and thereby operate the staple driver arm 16 in response to operative movement of the handle with respect to the frame.

As thus far described, the operation of the anvil arm 14 and the staple driver arm 16 in response to movement of the handle 18 will be readily understood. Initially, the foregoing mentioned parts of the stapler are in their normally inoperative positions illustrated by FIG. 3, due to the biasing action of springs 38 and 52. In their inoperative positions, the anvil arm is held down in an open position due to the biasing action of spring 52 and the staple driver arm 16 is held in an upper position due to the action of spring 38. The first operative movement of the handle toward the frame results in the movement of the handle and the anvil arm from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the dot-dash position shown in FIG. 1. Movement of the handle is accomplished by squeezing or closing of the operators hand about the main frame and the handle which causes the handle to move up toward the main frame so that pin 68 moves up toward top wall 26 of the main frame causing anvil carrying arm 14 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot pin 50 until anvil 22 engages the lower edge of the forward end of the staple case 24, as illustrated by FIG. 1. The anvil carrying arm now is in its operative position and remains stationary during the second operating movement of the handle. It should be noted that pin 68 moves slightly rearwardly also during the counterclockwise rotational movement of the anvil arm about its pivot pin 50.

Upward movement of pin 68 also causes concurrent clockwise rotation, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, of the handle about pin 68 due to the contact between rollers 90 and the upper portion of edge 82 of slot 80. Further squeezing action of the handle toward the frame causes the handle to rotate further in a clockwise direction about pivot pin 68 which remains stationary during this second handle movement since the pin extends through the anvil carrying arm which remains stationary during the second movement. Clockwise rotation of the handle causes cam edges 88 of slots to move rollers 90 downwardly in slots 78 causing staple driver arm 16 to pivot in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 36 into the position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1, wherein the forward end 33 of the arm drives the staple drive blade 34 (FIG. 3) downwardly for the staple driving operation. The lower end 92 of slot 80 provides a stop which ends the second handle movement while the upper end 94 of slot 80 provides a stop for the parts of the stapler in their inoperative position.

The staple magazine 20 is removably mounted on the frame of the stapler and comprises a staple case and rail assembly 96 (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6) for holding the strip of staples, and a staple pusher 98 for pushing the staples into position for delivery and which is removably mounted on the staple case and rail assembly. Assembly 96 comprises the elongated staple case member 24 of U-shaped cross section and having a bottom wall 100, a pair of laterally spaced vertical side walls 102 extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a pair of laterally spaced horizontal staple retaining and guide flanges 104 extending inwardly toward each other from the tops of side walls 102. An elongated rail member 105 of inverted U-shaped cross section is nested within case member 24 and is secured to the latter. The rail member comprises a top wall 106 and laterally spaced vertical side walls 108 extending downwardly from the top wall to the bottom wall 100 of the case member. It is to be noted from FIGS. 5 and 6 that upper spaces and side spaces are formed between the case member and the rail member to accommodate the staples in a well known fashion. The rail member is secured to the case member by punching parts 110 (FIG. 3) of the top wall 106 of the rail member downwardly against the bottom wall 100 of the case member and spot welding the punched parts to said bottom wall.

A nose piece 112 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8) is secured to the front end of the case member and comprises a front vertical wall 114 and a pair of laterally spaced vertical side walls 116 (FIG. 2) which extend rearwardly from the sides of the front wall for a short distance. In the mounted position of the case and rail assembly on the frame, the side walls 116 of the nose piece fit into a cutout 118 provided in the forward ends of the side walls 28 of the frame and the outer surfaces of walls 116 are flush with the outer surfaces of walls 28, as best seen in FIG. 2. The nose piece also includes another pair of laterally spaced vertical side walls 119 which are positioned inwardly of side walls 116 in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface of the latter and are secured thereto, as by spot welding. A pair of laterally spaced vertical flanges 120 extend inwardly from the forward edges of walls 119 and are spaced rearwardly of the rear surface of front wall 114 to form a vertically extending space in which the staple drive blade 34 is free to move up and down. It is to be noted, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 8, that the lower edges 122 of flanges 120 terminate above the inwardly recessed parts 124 of the lower portions of side walls 119. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, side walls 119 have rearwardly and downwardly inclined rear edges 126 which terminate above recessed parts 124.

Front wall 114 of the nose piece has a vertically extending guide slot 128 (FIGS. 3 and 8) through which the forward end 33 of the staple driver arm extends. Staple driver blade 34 also has a vertical slot 132 in registry with slot 128 and of a length slightly greater than the height of end 33 which extends through the slot for driving the blade up and down.

The staple pusher 98 comprises an elongated pusher rod 134 to which is secured, at the rear end of the rod, a pusher rod gripping part 136 (FIGS. 3 and 10 to 12) having a vertical rear wall 138 and laterally spaced verti cal side walls which extend forwardly from the sides of Wall 138. An inverted U-shaped staple pusher member 142 (FIGS. 3 and 8) is mountedfor sliding movement on rail member 105 in the space formed between the rail member and case member 24, and the staple pusher member is also mounted for sliding movement on and below the pusher rod.. .The pusher member has a top wall 144 whose side edges are positioned between flanges 104 of the case member 24 and top wall 106 of rail member 105. A pair of laterally spaced vertical side walls 146 extend downwardly from top wall 106 and are positioned between side walls 102 of the case member and side walls 108 of the rail member for sliding movement therebetween. A compression coil spring 148 is coiled around pusher rod 134 and is operative to bias the pusher member forwardly toward the forward end of the stapler whereby the forward staple of the staple strip is pushed into stapleejecting .position below staple driver blade 34. For this purpose, longitudinally spaced parts 150 (FIG. 3) are struck up from the top wall 144 of the pusher member and are provided with axially aligned holes through which the forward end of the pusher rod, passes. A sleeve 152 (FIG. 3) extends between parts 150 and the end 154 of the pusher rod is expanded so that it cannot move rearwardly through the apertured parts 150. The rear part 150 provides a stop against which the forward end of the spring bears.

As indicated previously, staple magazine 20 is removably mounted on frame 12 of the stapler and is removed therefrom by first removing the stapler pusher 98 from the case and rail assembly 96 and thereafter removing the pusher from the frame of the stapler and from the stapler by a rearward longitudinal movement thereof. Thereafter the case and rail assembly is removed from the frame and the stapler by a slight downward releasing movement and then a longitudinal forward movement. The releasable latching means of the magazine will now be described in detail.

Pusher 98, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 10 to 12, is releasably latched at its rear end to the rear end of the case and rail assembly 96. For this purpose, the rearend of each flange 104 of the case member 24 is provided with an upstanding latch keeper 156 which comprises-a vertical wall 158 and a horizontal flange 159 which extends outwardly from the top of wall 158 and also slightly forwardly thereof. The top of pusher rod gripping part 136 is provided with a movable latch member 160. The latch member comprises a horizontal top Wall 162 provided with a downwardly struck part 164 which extends below the rear end of pusher rod 134 and through which 'said rear end loosely extends so that the latch member can rotate slightly upwardly, in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 10 to 12, to latch releasing position. The rear end of spring 148 bears against part 164 and thereby normally biases the latch member clockwise into latching position. Thus it is seen I that the spring functions to operate the pusher and case and rail assembly latching mechanism as well as operate the staple pusher member 142.

A pair of laterally spaced vertical ears 166 extend downwardly from the side edges of top wall 162 of the pusher rod gripping part 136 and are each provided with apertures through which extend verticalprojections 168 that extend upwardlyfrom the tops of side walls 140 to guide the movement of latch member with respect to the pusher rod gripping part. Side walls 140 terminate at their rear bottoms above the lower edge of wall 138 to form a cut-out for a companion mating part 169 formed in the lower rear ends of side Walls 102 of case member 24. From the cutout, the forward edge 170 of the side Wall extends forwardly and upwardly and the rear ends of the side walls of the case member are formed with a companion mating rearwardly and downwardly inclined edge 172. Walls 140 have forwardly extending latch guide parts 173 which are adapted to extend between flanges 159 of the keeper and flanges 104 of the case member in the latched position of the pusher and case and rail assembly. Each guide part has a forwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge 174 which is adapted to engage the rear edge of flange 159 during forward latching movement of the latch member to cam the latter down toward the case member and thereby assist in said latching movement. Guide part 173 also has a forward part 176 which extends laterally outwardly to form a cam surface against which the outer surface of wall 158 of the keeper bears during forward latching movement to assist in laterally positioning the latch member properly with respect to the keeper.

Top wall 162 of the latch member has a forward portion comprising a pair of laterally spaced parts 178 each comprising a horizontal wall 180 and an upwardly inclined wall 182 extending forwardly from wall 180. During forward latching movement of the latch member, walls 182 engage the rear edges of flanges 159 of the keeper and thereby lifts the latch member so that the bottom of wall 180 bears against the top of flange 159 while the latch guide parts 173 are cammed under the flange as best illustrated by FIG. 12.

In the normally latched position of pusher 98 to case and rail assembly 96, as illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 3, the rear edge of wall 180 of the latch member is positioned below the forward edge of flange 159 of the keeper to releasably latch the latch member to the keeper and thereby releasably latch the pusher to the case and rail assem bly. Also, it is to be noted that the gripping part 136 cannot be pulled rearwardly in this latched position because the rear edges of walls 180 engage the forward edges of walls 158 of the keeper. In this latched position, edge 170 of the pusher gripping part 136 is spaced rearwardly of edge 172 of the case member. To unlatch the pusher from the case and rail assembly, the pusher gripping part is grasped by the fingers of the operator and moved forwardly until the sides of the bottom of wall 138 engage part 169 or edges 170 engage edges 172, as illustrated by FIG. 10, so that the rear edges of wall 180 are forwardly and clear of the forward edges of flanges 159 to release the latch member from the keeper. The released latch member and the pusher secured thereto is removed from the case and rail assembly by pushing of the operators fingers forwardly against the rearwardly and downwardly inclined rear edges .184 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the ears 166 of the latch member which causes the latch member to pivot about its rear end, in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 11, to bring parts 178 of the latch member above the keeper to permit rearward withdrawing motion of the keeper and the pusher from the case and rail assembly. The unlatching forward movement and releasing counterclockwise pivotal movement of the latch member compresses spring 148 as is readily apparent from FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, and this compression of the spring enables the latch member to snap back into latch position upon reversing the aforementioned unlatching movements and operations.

With the pusher removed from the case and rail assembly, the latter may now be removed from frame 12 of the stapler in the manner which will now be described.

The assembly is supported near the bottom of the frame by the previously mentioned transverse cross bar 58 (FIG. 3) againstwhich the bottom of case member 24 rests near its rear end. The front end of the assembly is supported in the front edge of the frame and for this purpose the vertical edge of cut-outs 118 of the side walls of the frame are provided withnotches136 (FIGS. 1

and 3) into which extend projections 188 from the rear edges of side walls 116 of nose piece 112. -The bottom wall 100 of the case member is provided with a transverse slot 190 (FIG. 3) and a transverse latch member 192 is resiliently held therein by-a leaf spring 194-which biases the latch member upwardly into latched position within slot 190. The latch member is L-shaped in transverse cross section and comprises a vertical wall 196 and a horizontal wall 198 which has end gripping parts 200 (FIG. 7) that extend through transversely aligned notches 202 provided in the lower edges of side Walls 28 of the frame. One end of the spring is secured to vertical Wall 196 of the latch member and the opposite end of the spring is secured to the bottom wall 100 of the case member, and the spring extends upwardly from the case member to the latch member.

To release the case and rail assembly from the frame of the stapler, parts 200 of the latch member are grasped by the fingers of the operator and pulled downwardly so that wall 198 is below the lower edges of the side walls of the frame whereby the latch member is released from its engagement with the frame in notches 202. The case and rail assembly is then removed from the frame by merely moving it forwardly. With the assembly removed from the stapler, end 33 of the driver arm no longer extends through slot 132 of the staple drive blade 34. However the blade can not fall out of the nose piece due to the provision of the projection 204 from the upper edge of the slot of the blade and which extends into slot 128 of the front wall 114 of the nose piece. The bottom wall of the case member is provided with a front opening 206 (FIG. 3) through which the staples are ejected.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a stapler, a staple magazine comprising a staple case and rail assembly and a staple pusher mounted for sliding movement on said assembly, said assembly comprising an elongated case member having a bottom wall and a pair of laterally spaced side walls, said side walls having keeper means extending therefrom, and an elongated rail member nested within said case member and secured thereto, said rail member having a pair of laterally spaced side walls spaced inwardly from said side walls of said case member, said staple pusher comprising an elongated pusher rod, a staple pusher member mounted for sliding movement on said rod and said rail member, a pusher gripping member secured to said rod adjacent one end thereof, a latch member rockably mounted on said gripping member for movement relative thereto and having means releasably engageable with said keeper means, and spring means interconnecting said latch member and said pusher member to bias said latch member against said gripping member.

2. In a stapler as defined in claim 1, wherein said latch member has a pair of laterally spaced forwardly extending and upwardly inclined latch parts, and said keeper means comprises a pair of laterally spaced keeper members in the path of latching movement of said latch parts to cam the latter above said keeper members during said movement, and laterally spaced stops on said keeper members in position to engage said latch parts as the latter move into latched position due to said biasing force of said spring means.

3. In a stapler as defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping member has a pair of laterally spaced parts which diverge laterally outwardly of each other, and said keeper members having parts in the path of latching movement of said gripping member to engage said laterally outwardly diverging parts to laterally position said latching member with respect to said keeper means.

4. A stapler comprising a frame, provided with a top wall and a pair of spaced side walls depending downwardly therefrom, a staple magazine mounted in said frame between said side walls, an anvil carrying arm pivoted to said frame side Walls, a staple driver arm pivted to said frame side walls, a handle pivoted to said anvil carrying arm and comprising a bottom wall and a pair of spaced side walls extending upwardly therefrom and disposed at the outer sides of said frame side walls, said frame side walls having openings therein, follower means fixed to said driver arm and passing through said openings in said frame side walls, said handle having slots therein at least partially overlapping said frame side wall openings, said follower means extending through said handle side wall slots, said frame openings permitting rotation of said driver arm relative to said frame, said slots having portions permitting rotation of said anvil carrying arm toward said frame and partial rotation of said handle about said anvil carrying arm toward said frame and without rotation of said driver arm, said slots having camming portions in engagement with said follower means to cause rotation of said driver arm relative to said frame upon thereafter rotating said handle toward said frame.

5. The combination of claim 4, said anvil carrying arm being pivoted at its rear end to the rear ends of said frame side walls below said magazine.

6. The combination of claim 5, said staple driver arm being pivoted at its rear end to the rear ends of said frame side walls, above said magazine.

7. The combination of claim 6, a staple driver blade mounted at the front end of said frame and connected to the front end of said driver arm, the pivotal point of said driver arm, the follower means and the point of connection of said driver arm to said blade, being substantially in a straight line substantially at right angles to said blade.

8. A stapler as defined in claim 4, and spring means engaged with said frame and said driver arm biasing said driver arm into a retracted position, and other spring means engaged with said frame and said anvil carrying arm biasing the anvil carrying end of said anvil carrying arm into a retracted position.

9. A stapler as defined in claim 8, said frame having a supporting member, said staple magazine being removably mounted on said supporting member, said first mentioned spring means having a part in engagement with said supporting member.

10. The combination of claim 4, said staple driver arm being pivoted at its rear end to the rear ends of said frame side walls, above said magazine.

11. A stapler comprising a frame, a staple magazine mounted in said frame, an anvil carrying arm pivoted at its rear end to the rear end of said frame below said magazine, a staple driver arm pivoted at its rear end to the rear end of said frame above said magazine, a handle pivoted to said anvil carrying arm and having slots therein, follower means fixed to said driver arm and passing through said handle slots, said slots having portions permitting rotation of said anvil carrying arm toward said frame and partial rotation of said handle about said anvil carrying arm toward said frame and without rotation of said driver arm, said slots having camming portions in engagement With said follower means to cause rotation of said driver arm relative to said frame upon thereafter rotating said handle toward said frame.

12. The combination of claim 11, a staple driver blade mounted at the front end of said frame and connected to the front end of said driver arm, the pivotal point of said driver arm, the follower means and the point of connection of said driver arm to said blade, being substantially in a straight line substantially at right angles to said blade.

13. In combination, a staple magazine comprising an elongated magazine body, a longitudinal rail fixed therein to receive a staple strip thereon, a keeper at the rear end of the body provided with vertical portions having forward vertical edges, and with horizontal flanges extending from said vertical portions and disposed above said body, a staple pusher comprising a rear member having a rear wall and side flanges extending forwardly of said rear wall and provided with forwardly extending tongues received beneath said horizontal flanges, a pusher rod fixed at its rear end to said rear wall and extending forwardly, above said rail, a staple pusher member slidable on said rail, a latch having a top wall from which extend downwardly side ears straddling said side flanges of said rear member, and a rear flange extending down from said top wall and located at the front side of said rear wall, a coil compression spring on said rod and be tween said staple pusher and said rear flange of said latch, means to movably interengage said latch to the said rear member, said top Wall of said latch having at its front end forwardly and upwardly inclined carnming means to engage the rear edges of said top flanges, to rotate said latch in a direction to lift the forward end of said top wall upwardly above said top flanges and slightly compress said spring, as said rear member is pushed forwardly and said tongues of said rear member move beneath said top flanges until said carnming means pass beyond said flanges to permit the compressed spring to lower said top wall, said top wall having portions to engage the front edges of said vertical portions of the keeper when said top wall is lowered to retain said pusher from moving rearwardly of the magazine, and said side flanges of said latch being movable forwardly to cause said latch member to swing and said top wall thereof to be raised to disengage said means which engages the front edges of said vertical portion above said keeper, to allow said pusher to be retracted.

14. The combination of claim 13, said top flanges having front end portions extending forward-1y beyond the front edges of said vertical portions, and said top wall having portions engageable below said extending front edge portions to prevent rotat on of said latch unless said rear member is first moved forwardly relative to said body, to disengage said engageable portions of said top wall from said front end forwardly extending portions, and said rear member being movable forwardly relative to said body a distance sufficient for said portions of said top wall to clear said top flanges.

15. In combination, a staple magazine comprising an elongated magazine body, a longitudinal rail fixed therein to receive a staple strip thereon, a keeper at the rear end of the body provided with vertical portions having forward vertical edges, and with horizontal flanges extending from said vertical portions and disposed above said body, a staple pusher comprising a rear member having a rear wall and side flanges extending forwardly of said rear wall and provided with forwardly extending tongues received beneath said horizontal flanges, a pusher rod fixed at its rear end to said rear wall wd extending forwardly, above said rail, a staple pusher member slidable on said rail, a latch having a top wall from which extend downwardly side ears straddling said side flanges of said rear member, and a rear flange extending down from said top wall and located at the front side of said rear wall, a coil compression spring on said rod and between said staple pusher and said rear flange of said latch, means to movably interengage said latch to the said rear member, said top wall having portion to engage the front edges of said vertical portions of the keeper when said top wall is lowered to retain said pusher from moving rearwardly of the magazine, and said side flanges of said latch being movable forwardly to cause said latch member to swing and said top wall thereof to be raised to disengage said means which engages the front edges of said vertical portion above said keeper, to allow said pusher to be retracted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,096,05 4 6/35 Maynard 1423 2,535,482 12/50 Boroughs 1-423 2,574,988 11/51 Vogel 1423 2,619,637 12/52 Boroughs 1-423 GRANVILLE Y. (DUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A STAPLER, A STAPLE MAGAZINE COMPRISING A STAPLE CASE AND RAIL ASSEMBLY AND A STAPLE PUSHER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT ON SAID ASSEMBLY, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CASE MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING KEEPER MEANS EXTENDING THEREFROM, AND AN ELONGATED RAIL MEMBER NESTED WITHIN SAID CASE MEMBER AND SECURED THERETO, SAID RAIL MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SIDE WALLS SPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID CASE MEMBER, SAID STAPLE PUSHER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PUSHER ROD, A STAPLE PUSHER MEMBER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT ON SAID ROD AND SAID RAIL MEMBER, A PUSHER GRIPPING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID ROD ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, A LATCH MEMBER ROCKABLY MOUNTED ON SAID GRIPPING MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO AND HAVING MEANS RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID KEEPER MEANS, AND SPRING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID LATCH MEMBER AND SAID PUSHER MEMBER TO BIAS SAID LATCH MEMBER AGAINST SAID GRIPPING MEMBER. 